There is no Method to the Madness
by Imnotgivingmynametoacomputer
Summary: Alvin the Treacherous has enlisted outside help to lay waste to Berk and it's people while accuiring the knowledge needed to tame dragons. Meanwhile on Berk the Villagers ignorant of the imminant threat go about there semi-normal lives and prepare for the Autumn harvest. Among other things. *cough* a marriage *cough* -currently has no cover.


**A/N Hello fellow fiction writers. It has been a long time since i have writen anything, any of my previous fans can atest to that, I bet their not too happy with me for deleting my older work but at anyrate i felt like writing again and there are just not enough stories in this section. So here is the prolouge and first chapter of a story I am planing to make much larger if anyone is interested in. And now fo r the obligatory covering my ass from potential sueing. I don't own HTTYD dont fucking sue me. Rated M because it's easier that way.**

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Prolouge

Through the darkness a small and battle scared island could be seen. It was well past midnight, the blackened sky peppered with thousands of small, glowing dots. Two lights could be seen on the southern coast and if one looked closely two figures could be made out holding these sources of artificial light. One was a burly mountain of a man, almost 7 feet tall. He looked as if he had once had a great deal more muscle mass, now still prevalent but atrophied with age. He was missing his right leg, and wearing very worn-out and burnt leather pants, fur boots, and fur coat, all of which kept together with a patchwork of dragon's hide. With it he wore a matching leather helmet, as little good it did, if any. It barely hid his short grey hair. His face could not be seen in the faint illumination. If it could, however, it would show a face scarred with deep claw marks running over his hooked nose. His jaw would be hidden behind grey stubble, in a futile attempt to hide its deformity, angled to his left as if it was broken badly in the past and reset the wrong way. His one remaining grey eye was hidden behind a set of goggles, several cracks shown on the lens that hid the hole that was once his left. The man to his right was in similar clothing and condition but was his opposite in stature. He was shorter by at least 2 feet, fatter too, and he had all of his stubby limbs intact. The left half of his rounded face was badly burned beyond the point of recognition. His forehead had melted over his left eye, exposing part of his skull; his left ear was gone, as was the brown hair on the left side of his head and face. He was too proud to shave it, leaving his look extremely lopsided.

The battle scarred men stood transfixed, looking out to sea, watching the darker patch of the ocean slowly move toward them from the south. As it got closer it took the appearance of a ship, its features slowly becoming discernable, several rows of oars protruded from the sides of the ship, moving the ship forward slowly. Its sail, having no wind to push it, was tied up. From what they could gather from its hull it was from the mainland. The taller of the two started to smile, or as close to one he could make with his deformed jaw.

"Dreg, I d'ink d'at be d'a delegate's ship." he said in a slur. The dumpy one, Dreg, scratched the burned side of his face flaking off dead skin before he started to speak. As he opened his mouth however, he realized he companion had walked off without him. He frantically gave chase, silently cursing at his impatience and longer legs, um, leg and peg leg.

"Wasn't that convoy not due till tomorrow?" He said when he caught up. "Mal! Why did'ye walk off without me?" Mal rolled his eye and shook his head in annoyance at his imbecile of a friend.

"'Cause ye idjiot, we're da only ones on dujy. We have to-"

"On what?" Mal stopped, looked over at him, and sighed. He inwardly contemplated striking the other man in the head, but decided against it. He did not want to have to bring his unconscious body back to the village. So instead he kneed him in the gut, earning a pained grunt from the man. He didn't wait around for him to recover. Some minutes later when the shorter of the two caught up he continued.

"As I were sa'in. be'ore ye interrupted. We 'ave to meet 'im or 'ill be angry. D'ose mainlander types are a toushy bunsh." He said as they arrived at the docks at last. He sat on a nearby barrel as his friend plopped himself on the floor planks.

"Mal, we 'ave got to fix your jaw. The lisp be gettin' annoyin'" Mal wiped his hand over his face in frustration.

"Shut it! I not be wantin' to 'ear d'at from you. Under'd'ood!"

"Aye." he said flatly.

Twenty minutes passed before the ship finally made it to port and extended the boarding planks. The ship was a small Roman* warship. Three men had exited the ship and now stood in front of the two aged warriors. The one in the middle was of fairly average height, a little on the shorter side, about a head taller than Dreg. He wore long violet robes of Persian decent and hid his face with cloth of the same colour. His long straggly hair was tied in braids in one of his many attempts to start a fashion trend, believing that his high status would get the people in the city in which he lived to emulate him. The two solders that stood on either side of him were of African decent and clad in brown robes of a similar design. They were both tall and muscular, obviously twins, and kept one hand on their scimitars at all times. The one in the middle addressed the two standing before him.

"I assume you have been alerted of my arrival?" He said in perfect Norse. They nodded in return. "Good then take me to your leader, the one you call Alvin. His letter foretold of great urgency." The two Vikings gestured for him to follow before leaving to the far side of the village. As they walked the delegate noticed that large portions of the village were burnt to the ground and/or under construction. And even though it was late at night there were people out on the streets, most notably in the village square. Most were asleep, some wandered, and all were wounded in some way, whether they be old or new wounds, burns or slashes, and all seemed to be done by animals of some nature. He made it a point to ask. After some time walking through the village he found himself being led up a hill that protruded from a cliff face. At the top of the hill there was a large metal door, possibly iron. The smaller Viking knocked on the door in an obvious pattern. They waited a few seconds and this time the larger man knocked a little harder. They waited a few more seconds, both men then started banging on the door as hard as they could. 'These savages have no sense of patience or subtlety.' the delegate mused to himself.

"FOR ODIN'S SAKE I'M COMING!" the banging stopped abruptly and the two Vikings backed away from the door. It opened to reveal a man even larger than Mal and still in his prime too. And significantly less wounds than the others in the village, the delegate wondered if that meant he was a better warrior or used his men as shields, probably both. He was visibly angry as if he was interrupted at an important time. He continued, seething. "What do you lot want? I was in the middle of a meetin'." The two lesser Vikings bowed to their leader in silent apology.

"Excuse us sir, Mal an' I were on duty and we seen the Roman ship comin'. This here be the delegate." He pointed to the man in violet clothes. Their leader eyed him suspiciously. "We thought it best to lead him here immediately."

"You thought right. Be gone with you, I no longer require your services." as they walked back down the hill he motioned the delegate inside. "Come in, come in. I weren't expecting you till tomorrow at the latest."

"Yes we seem to be a bit ahead of schedule. Be that as I may sailing this far north takes quite a long time and the empire can no longer afford to routinely send ships this far outside it's boarders without purpose I hope what ever it is you require is profitable for the empire. Oh, you two stay outside I won't be needing your help with this." The two guards bowed their heads and took positions at either side of the door. Once he made it through the threshold he was greeted with the sight of a dimly lit cavern with a large rounded table at the center, covered in maps, several other Vikings were standing around it, looking at him, a few others were standing at a large board in the back covered in yet more maps, they seemed to be bickering about the best place to raid for supplies next. Alvin retook his place at the table and gestured him to take a place at his side. The others stared at him blankly.

"This be the delegate from Constantinople and the Roman empire. He come here to help us with our problem."

"I promised no such thing!" The Roman interjected. "You sent me a letter that said it was of the utmost importance for the future and safety of the empire, not some plea for help with your savages' problems. I better not have wasted a month's journey to this God forsaken rock so far north!" With that the others in the room burst out in laughter. Once it had stopped Alvin decided to enlighten the bewildered fellow.

"Aye. Do not worry yourself. They be one and the same problem. Tell me do ye know of dragons?"

"Of course I do. The larger ones live all over the mountains and seas of the empire, they mostly stay to themselves if left alone, the smaller breeds are pests or pets depending on who you talk to. What of it?"

"The ones we have up here are wilder breeds; they attack the Islands for food, and kill our people left and right. Once they end us they will go for the main land."

"And why should this concern me? There is a large amount of land between the Roman Empire and here. They would have to go through several hundred kilometers of Viking controlled land before reaching one of our outposts. Even then they would have to go through many kilometers of savage controlled areas."

"Ah but that be where your problem comes in. Northwest of here is an Island called Berk, you ever hear of if?" He shook his head. "On it is a lad, scrawny and short and barely able to lift a weapon. He is known throughout our lands as the Dragon Conqueror. He has tamed the beasts, and he be a bleeding heart as well. If the dragons start blowing up towns on the mainland he will go and teach the mainlanders how to tame them as he has. They be Viking like us, they will raid the northern half of your empire for centuries if they get the Dragons on their side, these be wild and deadly beasts, very unlike the intelligent and ancient dragons of your mountains, they be meant for war."

"And do prey tell, just where your little story is going. I assume you have a plan or you not have called me here otherwise."

'Aye! I have a plan. We take their island, kill all their people and force the information out of the boy. Their island is close to the dragons' breeding ground so there will be many of eggs to take in the area. With this knowledge think of what you could do. You could retake the eastern half of your empire." the delegate had started to smile during the course of the explanation, it had now widened significantly.

"No… we could do much more than that. We could drive our area of control deep into Africa and Asia. Maybe with help of rouge factions inside enemy empires we could take the entire continents." He began to laugh softly. "The entire known world under Roman control."

"Half." Alvin said with a slight grin. Obviously knowing something the delegate did not amused him. It had the opposite effect on the delegate himself.

"What? What do you mean _half_?" Alvin laughed at his ignorance but enlightened him all the same.

"We Vikings be not only raiders, we be explorers. There is a huge land mass on the other side of the western oceans; there are rumors that it stretches the length of the world. We've heard other rumors of a land mass to the south of the southern most part of Africa. We have never tried sailing there but we hear it be covered in ice a mountain range thick. Our world be bigger than yours."

'Fine then! Once we take this half we will spread to this… other half of the world as you call it. We will not allow an inch of this world outside of our control!"

"Does that mean you'll help us then?" Alvin said in an amused voice.

"yes! Of course, how many men do you need?"

"Four hundred at the least, I have control of two other tribes, after what I did to their chieftains they will co-operate without fail but we need much more men than what's left of those lot. Berk be well defended by its people and dragons."

"Best we can spare is three hundred but I should be able to round up another three hundred provided that its cannon fodder. That should be about thirty ships on our end how many on yours?"

"Another twenty, the tribes I have wont send more than their raiding ships and most of my men are too wounded for an all out war."

"Sounds like overkill to me Viking. Are they really worth that much?"

"Vikings are nothing if not stubborn, we do not go down without a fight, those fighting for home fight all the harder. Why do you think we haven't wiped ourselves out yet? We aren't stupid enough to raid each other's islands unless we know victor is in our hands. We make ourselves few and far between on the main land to make for wide raiding territory. We'll be lucky if we come out with 5 ships in the end."

"Very well, I shall return in two months with a fleet, maybe two-in-a-half months. You better be right about this, I have already lost favor with the emperor, and this is my last chance."

"Aye, I be."

"Very well then, good day." and with that he rushed out, slamming the door behind him.

*The Byzantine empire was still referred to as the Roman empire internally and externally until about a century after it's fall. So for all intensive purposes they're still Roman at this time. Since it's about 900 C.E. give or take a century or two.

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Chapter 1

It was an uncharacteristically warm and sunny day on Berk. Normally this would be cause for celebration for everyone involved, Hel good enough reason to drink if any. Unfortunately for Hiccup today wasn't going his was nor was the week, nor month for that matter. He was currently down at the dragon training academy, with Astrid on his back sharpening her battleaxe, and Snotlout barking at him like some great dog, shouting insults at him for "motivation." Toothless, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, and the rest of their dragons sat about ten feet away, thoroughly enjoying Hiccup's pain as he tried to do push ups. Astrid as it seemed had gotten the idea that Hiccup's scrawniness was becoming a problem, so she generously offered to train him, and by offered she meant force and by train she meant work and feed to death. She enlisted Snotlout to help with training his physique; she would train his ability with weaponry. At first he was horrible, couldn't even do a push-up, nor a sit-up, nor run more than fifty feet. After the third week it had gotten to the point where it was bearable for him. He had gained some tone and muscle mass. Astrid made a point of getting Fishlegs to personally cook for Hiccup. The boy had a knack for nutrient dense food; he inherited his skill with cooking from his father, evident by the size of the two. Even after feeding him enough food to feed three men, everyday for a month, he remained stubbornly skinny; it seemed even if he became as strong as the rest of them, which everyone thought was a horrible long shot, he would never develop a Viking's physique. Which was fine with Astrid, in the end she couldn't help but find him cute that way. The forth week was when Astrid made it impossible again, by doing exactly what she was doing now, sitting on his back, it was back to square one, with him barely able to a single push-up, it had been six days since that started, six long days.

After a measly ten push ups Hiccup gave up, he let his arms collapse underneath him. He couldn't do anymore with his deceptively heavy girlfriend on his back, not that either of them would admit anything to anyone who asked. Hiccup would get out of answering the question by rambling on about nothing. Astrid would just knock them out.

Astrid got off of him and flipped him over by kicking him in the side. Earning a pained grunt from him. "Why would you do that?" He complained as he tried to hold his side. He could barely lift his arms; they were in so much pain, like they were on fire. After a moment he felt something grab onto his legs. He knew what was coming next; he didn't feel like opening his eyes for it. Astrid pulled him up by his legs and strapped them to a low hanging bar about eight feet off the ground. She had, had Gobber install it along with a step ladder to reach it when it became apparent there was no un-awkward way of holding him down that would make sit-ups harder. So instead he had to do them vertical now. He had to make it up to his knees for them to count.

"Hiccup." She said in an artificially sweet voice. "Start moving. You know what will happen if you don't start… **_now_**." She said in a finality that meant start now or die. He jolted up immediately, doing as many as he could till he could no longer lift himself, pitifully that number was only eight.

"At least it was two more than yesterday." he said to himself. She appeared to be satisfied with it and un-strapped him from the lopsided shackles, built specifically for his prosthetic lower leg. Hiccup took a moment to rest on the ground, he was dreading what came next though, every day it was the same. Astrid would pull him up by the vest, just like now. Grin evilly, just like now and just like now, throw him into Snotlout who would proceed to chase him down until he caught him and beat him unconscious. Astrid said it was for his stamina and pain tolerance, Hiccup thought she just liked to see him in pain. Still he couldn't deny it was working. He could outrun him for almost ten minutes now. And everyday it took greater and greater hits to make him pass out once he had finally stopped from exhaustion. He even got in a good punch or two now. It was never a long fight however. Astrid would let him rest for little while before throwing a bucket of water on his head to wake him up. Today however she decided to have toothless boil it first, the shriek it caused was priceless. A Roar of laughter echoed from the spectators. Hiccup, lying on the ground, slightly burned, bruised, bleeding, and panting heavily, looked up at Astrid and said between breaths.

"If you were anyone else you realize I wouldn't put up with this right Astrid?" She smiled innocently back at his tired and pained face.

"Why Hiccup I don't have any idea what your talking about. Now get up its time for weapon training." She heard him groan behind her as she walked up to the table that held the war hammer she had Gobber make for him. She smiled to herself at the memory of when Hiccup first saw it.

_"Astrid! There is no way in Hel I'll be able to lift that!" Hiccup said as he stared at the weapon in front of him. Its handle was at least a meter long, made from solid steel. And it had two large rectangular blocks of steel coming out of the top at each side. A small spike protruded from the top of the metal rod holding the two blunt pieces of metal together. 'At least it had leather grips' he thought to himself._

"You never know until you try." Astrid said with a smirk. She picked it up with a single hand and threw it at him, hard. Having no time to sidestep it he had no choice but to try and catch it. He barely managed the feat. His strength already drained from the day's exercises was not sufficient to lift the large metal weapon. It dropped to the ground on what would have been his left foot, had he still had one.

"I have never been so grateful for losing that leg. Astrid. I can't lift this thing. Why did you have Gobber make this?" He asked, in a whining tone. She shrugged.

"I thought it would be fitting." she said flatly. Hiccup raised his brow questioningly.

"And why did you think it would be fitting?" She opened her mouth to reply but closed it quickly as a faint blush covered her cheeks. Before hiccup could ask what that was about she grabbed her axe and quickly pointed it at his throat. A bead of sweat ran down Hiccup's face. Her eyes narrowed and he gulped.

"Beat me in a fight and maybe I'll tell you. Maybe." At this his eyes narrowed too. A faint smirk appeared on his face.

"You're on!"

She laughed inwardly at how badly he fought that day, and every day after that. She made sure to make him tired and wounded before any of their sparring matches. She wanted him to get used to fighting in that condition. It would make it so much easier for him at full strength. She threw him his war hammer and he caught it with ease. They began.

Even if he didn't see how much better he had gotten, she did. She saw the muscles appearing under his tunic. The way he carried himself during their matches. His reflexes had gotten much faster, he dodged her strikes with greater efficiency. He even managed to block her advances more often. It was however a pain for her to have to get Gobber to re-sharpen her axe after every practice, so she had him make her a second one for this training. It was a mistake not to have Gobber re-sharpen this one as well. The dullness and jagged edges only served to bruise Hiccup or tear away at his flesh. He had quite a few small and oddly shaped scars forming around his sides and along his arms after three weeks of these matches. There was another weakness to the dulling blade after about five minutes of trading blows Hiccup managed to hit the broadside of her axe blade, it shattered under the stress, having weakened after two weeks of continuous clashing. Both Hiccup's and Astrid's eyes widened. The bystanders were in similar shock. Astrid felt a stinging wetness along her left cheek. She wiped at it with her hand. It was blood, her blood. One of the shards had grazed her along the face when the axe head shattered. Her expression contorted to annoyance.

"Hiccup!" she half yelled. He cringed away, fully expecting the wrath of the Valkyrie standing in front of him. But it never came instead he saw her crack a smile. "You're lucky this was a training axe I had Gobber prepare for these fights. If this was my axe you would be dead by now. Good job though, no one has ever been able to disarm me before." she placed the broken axe on the ground and turned to leave. "Same time tomorrow, as always, don't be late."

Hiccup stood there for a moment stupefied but then it was his turn to smile. "Oh no you don't. Fishlegs! Snotlout! Grab her!" Astrid stopped and turned. A look of horror on her face having just realized she was unarmed in a closed off arena, there was no escape. Snotlout and Fishlegs closed in with rope, Snotlout smirking evilly.

She bolted for the gate and in a flash it was over. She was bound helplessly in rope, unable to break free. "Damnit Hiccup! Why do you insist on forcing me to learn these stupid things you call "math" and "science." she said with such distain you would have thought she was being force fed poison. "You have Fishlegs to be nerdy around. Why do you need me? AND WHY ARE YOU TWO HELPING HIM?" she yelled at the top of her lungs. Both teens flinched at the noise.

"Because it's fun watching you be sick to your stomach." Snotlout said with a smirk.

"I agree with Hiccup's reasoning, and it's only fair. You force him to train everyday even though he has no talent in it."

Astrid glared at Snotlout's answer but couldn't help but sigh at Fishleg's. He was right after all it was only fair, but she didn't have to like it.

"Besides, Astrid." Hiccup said. "Strength has to bend to knowledge every once in awhile and the less you fight me on this the quicker we get it over with. Also your reading and writing are also in need of improvement." She shot him a look but nodded in defeat. Hiccup smiled softly in return. "Let the lesson begin."

* * *

While the escapade at the dragon training academy was in full swing Gobber was busy trying to find Stoick. Stoick had no idea what Hiccup and his friends were up to and Gobber thought it best for him to see. After all, he would be amazed at what Hiccup has accomplished in a month. He looked a lot less like the talking fishbone he was always known to be. When he found him though all thoughts of bringing him to see Hiccup train were thrown from his mind. He found him on the street not to far from the Hofferson residence, talking to none other than Mrs. Hofferson.

"-ried in two months then, at the autumn harvest. We'll make more plans later I have to get back to work." She nodded and left. Gobber wasted no time in going up to Stoick, fearing the worst.

"Stoick! Did you just do what a think you did?" He jolted and turned with his hammer at the ready but upon seeing it was only Gobber relaxed significantly nevertheless didn't expect to see Gobber so far from the forge at this time of day.

"Gobber! What're you doing sneaking up on me like that? I could've killed you." Gobber waved him off.

"Never mind what I'm doin' here the question is what are you doin' here?" Stoick looked taken aback by his old friend's question. He was faintly aware of some of the townsfolk in the area pretending not to listen but he didn't really care they would find out eventually.

"Why isn't it obvious? I'm securing my son's future." Gobber nodded. He thought it be good to bring him to the lad, let him and that lass he's taken such a liking too deal with the old lunatic. He gestured for Stoick to follow him and they walked toward the dragon training academy on the other side of the village. They spoke loudly was the walked through the streets, alerting more and more villagers of something big happening on Berk soon. Most didn't catch much of the conversation only bits and pieces. They would try to piece it together as soon as Stoick and Gobber were out of earshot.

"I was afraid of that. Stoick 'ave you lost your mind? The lad an lass can barely admit their feelings to each other, let alone to the public. You're just goin' to drive 'em apart." Gobber said as they enter the fish market. Stoick shook his head.

"And how would you know? Do you have any experience with this?" He said with a bit to much enthusiasm. He knocked his hand clean through a support bean of a fish stall as they passed.

"Nay I don't but I know Hiccup. He's a shy lad that will go along with anything you tell 'im to. And Astrid, she's a violent women if I ever saw one; I wouldn't be surprised if she was a Valkyrie but she be a shy one too, inside all of that rage."

"Nonsense, she has kissed him in public multiple times. That doesn't sound shy to me."

"She has beaten the living Hel out of anyone who asks if she and Hiccup are courting." Stoick gave him a look.

"How is that in anyway considered shy?" They had entered the town square at this point and quite a crowd was following them. Both men were too absorbed in their own conversation to realize it.

"It's shy for a Viking an' you know it. You did the same when anyone asked if you and Val were courting. You're just going to push 'em away from each other." it was Stoick's turn to wave him off.

"Oh and how am I going to do that?"

"Very easily. I'm sure you want a traditional marriage."

"Aye, what's wrong with that?" Stoick said, mildly insulted. Gobber rolled his eyes. The crowd began to back off. Most remembered what happened last time Gobber had enraged Stoick. They had to rebuild half the village after that fiasco. They wanted to be as far away from Stoick if that happened. Even if they wanted to know what was going on more then ever now most of them were not brave enough to keep following.

"That's your first problem Stoick. We're not the most traditional bunch."

"How so?" Stoick said defensively. The last bit of the crowd dispersed as they reached the edge of the village. Stoick unwittingly following Gobber ever closer to the dragon training academy.

"Who was the last person to ''ave a traditional marriage on this Island?"

"Me."

"That's right. You. Just how many marriages 'ave been preformed on this island since yours?" Stoick thought for a second.

"fifty-nine. I think. I can't remember."

"Aye. fifty-nine, fifty-nine Stoick. Not a one of them was traditional."

"Your point, Gobber."

"Most of 'em don't even know what our traditions used to be anymore. The three hundred years of war with the dragons sought to that. Hel, Hiccup's lass wears that old purity headband as a fashion statement, and the other unwed girls on the island don't wear 'em at all. The newer married women don't even put their hair up anymore. At least the ones who don't wear helmets. And do you 'ave any idea what the lad's reaction to some of our older traditions would be? He would take you for mental." Stoick shook his head in denial.

"How would my son take me for a madman for following our old traditions? Especially since the rest of the village assumes he has long ago succumb to madness." Gobber signed at his old friends stupidity.

"Take the bride price for example. The lad would see it as an insult to the young lass. It would look like you were trying to buy her from her parents."

"The bride price is to make sure the groom has enough money to take care of his wife."

"Aye, Stoick I know, I know. But what matters is how he will see it. And in all fairness, that's just what it looks like. Remember that trader, Delvin was his name."

"Aye, the one who lost his hand here during the night he spent drunk at the great hall. He said a demon bit it off."

"Aye, What you don't know is he offered a bride price for Astrid, a mighty big one at that." Stoick's eyes widened. "Not only that but I saw Toothless cough up the bones to a hand a few days later to chew on. Hiccup freaked out and looked around to make sure no one saw. Thankfully he didn't see me."

"Wait you don't mean-" He nodded. "Hiccup. My Hiccup had his pet dragon bite of the hand of a trader for trying to buy Astrid's hand in marriage." He nodded again.

"Aye, he did. Hiccup was the only one in the area besides me when he tried to give Mrs. Hofferson the bride price for her daughter, I was so relieved when she declined, the lad would 'ave killed him had she accepted. Oh why do you look so shocked, that's the Viking way isn't it?" He said to his visibly paling and slightly green friend. He looked as if he was about to be very sick.

"Aye it is but that's not his way, or at least I thought it wasn't." He shook his head in disbelief.

"Don't look so down, he was always the most Viking like of all of us. This is just further proof. He was the only one of us stubborn enough to try and tame a dragon instead of just kill it, and the only one foolhardy enough to lead five other Vikings which he had taught how to ride dragons not a hour earlier into a fight that a few hundred Vikings couldn't win, but lets move back on topic. There are other problems with your traditional marriage idea, there is also the consummation."

"What about it." Stoick said dumbly. They had reached the bridge at this point. Had Stoick been paying attention he would have realized where Gobber was leading him.

"The tradition goes that both sets of parents and two other people have to witness the, uh, main event as it were. Do you really think either of them would take anyone who suggested such a thing as sane? I can tell you just what would happen. Hiccup would stand there horrified before turning pale and passing out and Astrid would decapitate the poor fool that suggested it."

"Oh alright, you win! I won't try to make it traditional. It's still happening though."

"Are you going to have them live in Hiccup's loft in the top half of your house?"

"Gobber! No more 'advice' I won't hear any more of it. That is one tradition that will be adhered to. Now where're you taking me? We're at the other side of the village." He looked around to see the bridge a few dozen meters behind them and then it hit him. "Why are we going to see Hiccup?"

"As perceptive as ever, except where needed. He's been training for the past month, I thought it be good for you to see some of it."

"Training what kind of training? He's not trying to do something stupid is he?"

"It wasn't his idea Stoick, it was the lass's." Stoick pinched his nose in irritation. He reached out his arm to stop Gobber.

"Okay, before we go down there. Explain from the beginning."

"Gladly. The lass understandably got tired of Hiccup being a weakling. She decided to fix that by working him to death." Stoick laughed at the idea. He had made many attempts to toughen up the boy. All failed miserably. The girl was wasting her time trying to train the untrainable.

"Is it working? I can't see any amount of training working on that boy."

"That's where your wrong Stoick. The lad has made surprising progress. The lass forced their friends to help whip him into shape." Stoick laughed and shook his head.

"I haven't seen any improvement." Gobber wiped his hand over his face in frustration.

"Stoick, the only time you see the boy is at night. At which point you are both tired from the horrible day you both had. I doubt either of you be paying attention to what the other one is doing." Stoick nodded, he had to give the old blacksmith that much. "Now let's get moving." Gobber pushed Stoick along the path to the dragon training academy. As they got closer they heard the distinct shriek of Hiccup in pain, Stoick thought it sounded like he was burned by something. "Hurry up the main event is about to begin." He pushed him over to viewing area. The sight that greeted them was a battered, bloody, and bruised Hiccup holding a war hammer and facing a smirking Astrid, holding a standard battleaxe.

Without warning it began. Astrid charged Hiccup and slashed at his side. He barely managed to dodge, he signed in relief, that relief was short lived however as the blade was drawn back it nicked his side adding to the various small scars he had been slowly building up in his sparing matches. She came in for another strike aiming for his left shoulder. Realizing he didn't have time to dodge he tried blocking it. It worked but the force of her blow to his hammer was enough to send it into his shoulder, hard. He grunted at the impact and silently cursed at the throbbing of the now very bruised bone. Knowing that blocking and dodging was getting him nowhere fast he decided to go on the offensive. He swung his hammer wildly lacking the strength and coordination to aim with much precision hoping only that the unpredictable nature of the swings would tire Astrid out. It wasn't working she blocked to effectively and countered to quickly for him to block. His arms and sides were covered in wounds and she didn't have a scratch. If this kept up he was going to pass out from blood loss… again. Luck was on his side that day however because just as that thought occurred to him his hammer hit her axe and it shattered.

Back by the viewing area Stoick was staring at the scene unable to speak, or close his mouth for that matter. Gobber was thoroughly enjoying his friend's shock and was silently laughing at him.

"So what do'ya think? Has the lad improved or hasn't he?" Stoick shook himself out of his shock.

"Aye, I have to admit he has improved. His footwork is still terrible and his precision need work but the Hiccup I remember would have been on his back with the blade at his throat in five seconds flat. how have they gotten through to him?"

"Oh that's easy. Astrid has gotten Fishlegs to shove enough food down his throat to feed three men dailu and she got Snotlout to beat the living Hel out of him every day."

"Why on Midgard would she do a thing like that?"

'Well conventional wisdom would say to bulk him up and for some stamina and pain tolerance, but I think she just likes to see the lad in pain. Now go back to your busy life of running the village. I've kept you long enough they'll be looking for you soon." Gobber waved him off and made sure he left, he really had kept him for too long. He assumed Hiccup would talk to his father later instead of cornering him now. Then he thought that in all likely hood Astrid would go after Stoick as soon as he explained what was going on. Once Stoick was out of sight Gobber walked down to the arena to warn Hiccup and Astrid about their respective parents' plans. The thought was however momentarily place out of his mind when he opened the gate. Astrid was currently tied up with rope sitting in front of Hiccup and Fishlegs as they talked about some gibberish that he was sure that no one else could understand, Snotlout was banging his head against the stone floor in an attempt to knock himself out to get away from the torture, which the twins seemed to have already accomplished. Their dragons looked on in mild amusement at the spectacle.

"What in Thor's name are you doing?" He shouted. Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Snotlout looked over to Gobber. Astrid tried to turn as well but gave up after she fell over. Hiccup was the first to speak.

"Um, uh, teaching Astrid about math and science." Gobber shook his head, like usually Hiccup couldn't' speak one sentence without saying words no one else understood.

"Stop speaking gibberish lad. Speak Norse for once." Hiccup contemplated for a moment how to make Gobber understand then he got an idea.

"Gobber you know how when you first started to make weapons you tried all these different combinations of iron and steel, and tried to see how ridged you could make the steel without it getting brittle."

"Aye, I remember, what does that have to do with this?" He did remember it well. Back in the day His own master thought him a fool for wasting good metal like that. He showed him when he cut through one of his master's Axe heads. That was a good day, He drank himself quite literally under the table that day.

"well that's science, well kind of, close enough. Also remember how you want every weapon you make to be uniform to the others like it so your not short handing someone by giving them inferior workmanship."

"Aye, I do." It would be a problem If in the middle of a battle or duel one of his weapons broke while someone was using it. An angry relative would come after him if such a thing caused the unlucky bastard to lose their life.

'Well that's what math is for, well one of it's uses anyway. It makes that kind of work easier."

"It does?"

"Well if you understand it like me and Fishlegs. And Astrid, eventually."

"So what your doing is making it so the lass can do blacksmithing?"

"Uh, no. I'm teaching her these so she can get through life easier. It has many more applications than blacksmithing."

"Well, I'll take your word for it we 'ave other problems, go untie the lass. You! Snotlout! Go wake up the two idiots over there and bring 'em here." they did as instructed, it took a few minutes to wake up the twins but after a few hits to the heads and a few burns to the limbs they were wide awake. The teens were currently standing in front of Gobber waiting for him to tell them what seemed so important to the old blacksmith.

"Alright then. Now that I've got your attention I 'ave big news."

"Just get on with it! I don't have all day to hang around." Snotlout interrupted. Gobber shot him a look but continued.

"I don't know how to say this in a way that won't shock you lot so I'll blurt it out." He paused for effect. Hiccup couldn't help thinking that in another life he would make a good showman. "Hiccup and Astrid are getting married." For a long moment there was silence. Not a sole dared to speak. The teens were all very shocked at what they just heard. Then in a moment it clicked in their heads.

"WHAT!" Astrid shouted hoping desperately that she heard wrong. Judging by Hiccup's sudden inability to speak, or do anything but flap his mouth open and shut like a fish out of water, she had the feeling that she heard right.

"Congratulations!" Fishlegs said enthusiastically. Ruff and Tuff were rolling on the floor with laughter trying their hardest to breath.

"Who are they marrying?" Snotlout said. The rest of the Vikings looked at him like he had just said his skin was turning purple. Even Ruff and Tuff stopped their laughing fit to gawk at him.

"Each other you great simpleton." Gobber said loudly while he pointed his hook at him.

"Oh, right. I knew that." He said dumbly. The rest of the group either shook their heads, rolled their eyes, or slapped their hand over their face so hard it left a red mark.

"Back to the matter at hand. What do you mean hiccup and I are getting married? We agreed to no such thing."

'I know lass. I tried to talk 'im out of it but he would not listen. Your parents arranged it."

"Our Parents! They have no say in this."

"Um, actually Astrid." Hiccup said. Astrid turned to him, rage prevalent in her features, along with a glint of something that he had never seen from her. It looked almost like fear. "I'm afraid they do. Not many people follow our old traditions anymore because of the last three hundred years and all but I've spent a lot of time reading our records and traditionally, marriage is arranged by the parents. Normally the fathers." Hiccup thought more and more that that unknown emotion he saw on her face looked like fear. He couldn't blame her, he was afraid too. "Uh, Gobber, is my dad going for an entirely traditional marriage?"

"Well I talked 'im out of the bride price and consummation parts. Not sure how much else he'll be willing to change." Hiccup was visibly relieved. This, he could work with. Astrid on the other hand looked horrified.

"What do you mean bride price and consummation? What are you talking about here?" She looked to Hiccup for an explanation. Hiccup looked over to Gobber silently begging that he tell her instead. He shook his head. He didn't want the young lass's wrath raining down upon him. "Hiccup tell me… **_now!_**" Hiccup cowered under her rage. He was actually a few inches taller than her now but you'd have never guessed by the way she was glaring down at him. He tried in vain to sputter out the words but couldn't. Thankfully, Fishlegs saved him.

"The bride price is where the father of the groom pays the bride's family for her. It's to show that the groom can take care of any children they have. There is also the dowry and morning gift that go with it. The dowry is usually equal in price to the bride price and is paid to the groom's family. The morning gift-"

"That's disgusting! You make it sound like a business transaction!" she looked as if she wanted to kill the closest living thing within her reach. Which was unfortunate for Hiccup because that was him.

"Aye lass, to most of our kin it is. The last traditional marriage on Berk was Hiccup's father. Even then he courted Val for nearly a year beforehand. So it wasn't entirely traditional."

"Well why haven't we heard of these traditions? This shouldn't be the first time I am hearing how proper marriage is conducted!" She shouted at Gobber. He looked very glad that she didn't have her axe with her. He was still being very wary about how close her fists were to his face.

" Well it be very simple. We do not have time for all of that. It took so long for Stoick to marry Val the traditional way because of all the dragons. Over the years it degraded to the chief being called in to marry some young couple before they start having children. He was usually called in by the bride's family. Now that the war is over we could go back to the old ways but so many people don't remember the traditions that this way is easier. Besides most of the people on Berk can't afford a bride price anyway."

"That's barbaric!"

'Nay lass, it's the least barbaric system I've heard of. The lands we raid are much worse. They basically sell their daughters to slavery. At least there is always the option of divorce with us. In those other places the only way out is death." Astrid put her hand to her throat.

"Well that's good, I guess. Now. What about this consummation?" Gobber stepped back. He really didn't want to be in the general area at this time.

"Why do you want to know? I already talked Stoick out of it." She growled in rage and Gobber took another step back eyeing the door with the intent to run like Loki faced with Odin.

"It's the fact that you had to TALK HIM OUT OF IT! That why I want to know!"

"Uh, uh, um, Hiccup you tell her." The other teens had by this point moved far, far away from Hiccup. Even the dragons were cowering at the far end of the arena. Hiccup seemed to shrink another few inches under her glare.

"Tell me." She said quietly. With what seemed like the intent to kill. "Tell me now Hiccup."

"Uh… and if I cant." She grabbed the remains of the broken axe and walked over to him.

"If you don't I will make sure you never have the ability to have children. **_Understood_**." She pointed the jagged weapon at his crotch for emphasis. He nodded his head repeatedly but didn't say anything.

"Nodding your head doesn't tell me anything. TALK! NOW!" He jumped back and opened his mouth to speak, still trying to form the words in his mouth.

"It's… it's an old tradition."

"I understand that Hiccup but what does it entail? TALK!" He could see her patience was wearing thin but he really didn't want to see what she would do if he told her. Either way he thought he was going to die today. Hopefully the death she was going to give him for telling her was going to be quicker then the one if he didn't.

"It… it's. sipepelwhitnussx." He said so quickly even he couldn't understand the gibberish that came out of his mouth.

"What? I didn't quite catch that." She leaned in closer ready to bash in his skull if he didn't tell her properly.

" sixpeoplewatchushavesex" He said too fast again. She poised her broken weapon above his head.

"One more time. Slowly."

"Six people watch us have sex." He closed his eyes and waited for death. It never came. He heard an explosion and the beat of large wings. He opened his eyes to see that Astrid had left the arena, With her dragon, Stormfly, and had broken down the gate leading outside.

"I warned him." he heard Gobber say. "I warned him she would decapitate the poor fool that suggested it." Hiccup shook himself out of his stupor. He had to get to her before she got to his dad. He could go his whole life without knowing which one of them could win in a fight.

"Toothless. Come on we have to go bud." His dragon was at his side in an instant. He mounted Toothless and they shot out of the arena as fast as they could. If it wasn't for toothless's speed they never would have caught up with Astrid. She was over the village square when they caught up to her.

"Toothless, grab her off the saddle." Toothless obliged. He flew in close and grabber her by the shoulders with his hind legs. Stormfly followed them after she recovered from the spin she was sent into. By the obscenities Astrid was shouting at him he knew when they landed that he was going to die. He directed them to the old cove he had found Toothless in. Toothless dropped Astrid into the lake probably in an attempt to 'cool her off' Hiccup thought it would only enrage her further. He was right, it also seemed that in the time it took for him to find her she had gone home for her proper axe, and just his luck he had left the hammer back at the arena. He landed and dismounted Toothless as she walked back to shore. Dripping wet from the water and seething with ungodly rage. He looked back to Toothless, who was laughing at him.

"Toothless that was a horrible idea, and why are you laughing? This is not funny."

_"Is for me. You humans have courtship rituals more dangerous than ours." _He said in that strange dragon language that was incomprehensible to everyone but Hiccup. Hiccup sighed.

"This isn't, this isn't part of any human courtship ritual." Toothless laughed at him some more. Hiccup failed to see any hilarity in this situation.

_"Sure it isn't. Hey! Stormfly! How long until you think she snaps?"_ The Nadder was sitting on the huge boulder near the center of the cove. It's attention was now focused on toothless. Hiccup thought he saw it shrug it's shoulders but he couldn't be sure.

Hiccup remembered Toothless once say that Nadders were terrible for a conversational partner they wouldn't talk to you unless they saw you as family, a potential mate, or it was something urgent. This seemed urgent enough for him. But no, the dragons saw this as nothing more then a Viking courtship ritual. He wished it was only that. That would be easier to deal with. He turned back to Astrid, she was a few feet away now and she looked like she really wanted to kill him but… he saw that same glint in her eye as before, that no one else could notice. 'It couldn't be.' he thought to himself. 'this better not be what I think it is.' he was about to die anyway, he had nothing to lose by trying it. He ran up to Astrid and probably did the stupidest thing he had ever done in his life. He hugged her.

He was fully expecting her to beat him to a bloody pulp. It never happened. Instead she did something he never would have expected. She dropped her axe and hugged him back, she clung to him like she never wanted to let go and cried into his shoulder. He really had no idea how to handle this. Vikings never cried, especially Astrid. He started to stroke her hair softly and tried to speak as reassuringly as he could.

"It's okay Astrid. It's okay, let it out. It a scary thought to think that we're getting married. We're only what? Sixteen?" He laughed nervously. "Never thought you'd be getting married at sixteen, huh?" He felt her laugh softly through her tears.

"I never thought I would be getting married, period." She said into his shoulder. He laughed a little at the thought. Neither did he. He purposely fell to the ground and brought her with him. Earning him a "Hey!" and a punch to the arm. She rolled off him to avoid awkwardly laying on top of him. They laid next to each other looking up at the sky for unknown amount of time. At first watching the clouds go by, then the sunset, and then the moon and the stars before passing out in each others arms.

* * *

Earlier that day.

"Stoick!" Gobber shouted as he burst through the doors of the mead hall, He was flustered, breathing heavily, and looking around quickly. His head stopped when he saw Stoick sitting at one of the tables at the far end. Stoick himself was initially shocked by Gobber's entrance. He hadn't seen the old blacksmith so worried since Val's death. Gobber waddled up to him as fast as his could and fell into the seat across from him. He looked as if he wanted to say something but he was breathing too fast to say the words. After about 5 minutes of this he calmed down enough to speak.

"Thank Odin. I thought for sure that the lass had gotten to you before Hiccup could get to her." What Gobber said only served to confuse Stoick more. Before he could ask what Gobber was rambling about, another person burst through the doors. 'can't a man sit down and enjoy one meal without something horrible going on.' he thought to himself. The second person was Mrs. Hofferson, he couldn't help but think that her and Gobber's problems were related. To Stoick she looked like we was ready to beat the living Hel out of anyone who was unfortunate enough to speak with her. She was never a woman you wanted to cross. He could still vividly remember her wild way of taking down Nightmare's when they were still teenagers. She wasted no time in marching up to him as he wondered what he did to make her so pissed. They were on friendly terms that morning.

"You mind telling me why there is talk of your boy grabbing my daughter off of her dragon in the middle of town and carrying her INTO THE FORESTS!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Her voice reverberated of the walls in a way that made her sound so much more menacing

"I think I need to change my undies." Gobber contributed unhelpfully. Stoick had had enough madness for one day. Why did Hiccup always find a way to anger or scare half the village. It always meant far more work for him. Then again if Astrid was anything like her mother Hiccup had to have his hands full as well. He sighed rather loudly.

" I 'aven't the slightest idea of what your talking about. Either of you. Now tell me, slowly, just what the Hel is going on." Mrs. Hofferson was about to speak but Gobber beat her to it.

"The lass has gone crazy Stoick. When she found out that you were arranging their marriage she-"

"YOU TOLD THEM!" Stoick and Mrs. Hofferson shouted in unison at the visibly shrinking blacksmith. "FOR ODIN'S SAKE WHY?" Gobber was very glad that Stoick was separated from him by a table. He was also very frightened of the enraged Nordic woman standing next too him. He knew from experience that she had the worst temper on Berk. Even the resident Berserkers couldn't compare. As scared of the two he was, he had to give them an answer.

"I knew they would react badly when you told them. So I took the burden off of you, or at least I tried. Astrid went crazy, Stoick. Hiccup was asking questions about whether it would be a traditional marriage. I said I talked you out of it, but-" Gobber stopped, losing the words in his mouth.

"But" Stoick sad encouraging him to continue. He was notably angered by this development but he kept he face as calm looking as possible, a trick he had learned in the early days of being a chief, people tended to be more open with you when questioned if you weren't leering at them.

"But." Gobber continued. "She demanded to be told the, uh, finer points of our old traditions. I warned you. I warned you the lass would decapitate the poor fool that suggested they follow the last bit of the old ways." Stoick moved his hand through his hair and shook his head. He exhaled loudly before speaking.

"And then what happened?" he was not looking forward to the answer.

"She mounted her dragon and flew out of the arena as fast as lightning, I swear it. Then Hiccup followed her. Then I came here hoping she didn't kill you." Stoick looked over to Mrs. Hofferson expectedly.

"Astrid came rushing in the house, grabbed her axed and rushed out again without even so much as a hello. Then I go to the market for some new cloth only to hear everyone talking about how your boy Used his dragon to grab her off of hers. I came straight here for an answer. That's all I know." Stoick was very annoyed at this point, he was started to think that Gobber was right. Maybe forcing them to marry would just push them apart. He pushed the thought aside. After all it had been a year and a half since they started courting and they had barely progressed at all. If he didn't force them to progress they would eventually drift apart anyway. 'Why can't anything with that boy be straight forward or simple.' he thought to himself. 'Hopefully once those two get married she'll whip him into shape. I can't be cleaning up his messes forever. Especially once Hiccup becomes the chief.' He shuddered at the thought of his son in charge of their Village. It was a very unpleasant thought indeed. He didn't have time to dwell on the future though, he had to get rid of the two people in front of him.

"Just let them be. Nay let me finish." He said before they had a chance to interrupt. "Those two have been courting for a year in a half now, a lot of tension can built up in a stagnant relationship over such a long period of time. It would be best not to go looking for them now because knowing them; there are two outcomes to this whole mess we inadvertently started." He waited for the information to sink in before continuing. " One involves a funeral and the other involves moving up the wedding date. I don't know about either of you but either of those scenarios I would not be wanting to walk in on. So quit your whinin' and complainin'. we'll go after them tomorrow if they don't return tonight. Now leave me be so I can finish this meal. I still have a lot of work to do before sunset." Both seemed reluctant to leave but the look he shot them ensured them that this was not a suggestion. Once they left him in peace he finally took a bit of his meal. He frowned, it had gone cold.

* * *

Hiccup awoke, as he often did, in the dead of night, many hours before day light, it never bothered him much, he would lay awake and contemplate his life for a hour or so before falling back asleep, but this night was different. He felt himself laying against the cold sand of a shoreline. He could feel someone laying against his chest, their head on his shoulder, breathing softly with their arm draped across his chest, their legs clumsily intertwined with his. He was also quite aware of how tightly he was holding onto them with the arm that would have otherwise been caught under them. He opened his eyes to try and make sense of what his brain could not. He looked over to see Astrid, her bright blonde hair glistening silver in the moonlight. He smiled in spite of himself, wondering how such a beautiful women fell for him, Hiccup of all people. He moved his free arm to brush some stray hair out of her face. He struggled to remember the events of the previous day, wondering how they got here. He moved his head around in an attempt to get a baring on the surroundings. They were at the old cove he found toothless in, then he remembered. Gobber had given them some shocking news. The woman he was holding against him was his fiancée. He instinctively held her tighter. As if trying to protect what was most precious to him. He inwardly laughed at the thought. The very idea that she need any protection was ludicrous. In battle, she was routinely mistaken for a Valkyrie, no one in their right mind would even attempt to harm her and if they did he had no doubt they would be dealt with swiftly. He hated to admit it but it would most likely be her having to protect him from harm.

He was jarred from his thoughts when he felt her move under his arm. He saw her furrow her brow in confusion, probably wondering where she was and who she was laying on top of. Her eyelids opened to reveal her wonderfully crystal blue eyes. Hiccup smiled gently as a faint blush became apparent on Astrid's face. His smile widened a bit when she made no attempt to move out of the position they were in.

"Hey, beautiful. Feeling better?" he asked her softly. Her blush deepened a bit but she nodded in reply. He could only marvel at how unlike Astrid she was acting. He would have brought it up to tease her but that would have ruined the mood, something he wouldn't do in his wildest dreams. As they laid there staring at each other, neither one sure of how to proceed without ruining the moment they were having, he noticed a glint in her eyes again. It was different then the one he noticed before, this was obviously not fear. If he had to place it, it would be-

"Hiccup." she said. Interrupting his thoughts. "Do… do you love me?" Hiccup was caught completely off guard by this. Even so he wasted no time in answering.

"Of course I love you. With every fiber of my being." He couldn't know where such insecure thoughts were coming from, nor could he tell was she was thinking, but he could tell she was definitely thinking of something important, he could practically see the thoughts forming in her head.

"So you would have asked me to marry you, if our parents hadn't gone around our backs and arranged it?" She looked almost pleading when she asked him. He thought for a moment, if only to tease her just a little bit, before smiling warmly again.

"Of course I would. In fact, Astrid Hofferson, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" It was her turn to smile, but hiccup noticed it wasn't like her normal smile, there was something more… primal about it. He saw that glint in her eyes again and he knew exactly what it was this time. Lust. As if in timing with the realization she rolled all the way on top of him and sat up, straddling his lap, pining his arms behind his head with hers. He got the distinct impression that the roles were reversed here. He had little time to complain as Astrid bent down and crashed her lips against his. He willingly returned the kiss as passionately as he could. He pressed his tongue passed her lips and into her mouth, earning a soft moan from her. Her tongue fought his for dominance in their mouths'. Hiccup's one thought in his fogy mind was of how she tasted like Valhalla. She loosened her grip on his arms and he wasted no time in breaking them free. He gripped her shoulders and quickly flipped her over, careful not to break the kiss. He pressed his body into hers as if attempting to become one with her. He heard her stifled moan and felt her legs tighten around his hips. He bucked his hips into her longingly. He quickly became aware that they were wearing far too many clothes. He was about to begin disrobing when he was alerted to a splash behind him. A moment later a wall of water splashed over them both. They broke the kiss, both were panting heavily, they had both forgotten to breath during their little make out session.

Hiccup rolled off of Astrid to sit next to her in the drenched sand. He saw toothless in the water laughing at them. As ticked off as he was he was glad they had been interrupted, They would have done something he was sure both of them would regret in the morning otherwise. He saw by the discarded shoulder pads and ruffled up shirt that Astrid had had the same thought he had about too many clothes. She was visibly more ticked off than he was by Toothless's prank.

"Toothless! Why did you do that?" She asked, the frustration prevalent in her voice. Toothless rolled his eyes as if it was obvious.

_"Your mating calls woke me up, I am uninterested in hearing how loud they would get if you progressed into actual mating."_ Astrid looked to Hiccup to translate what he knew was only garbled grunts to her. Hiccup had told her in his spare time he had learned the Dragons' language and he knew she was fully expecting to tell her what he was saying.

"He said we woke him up. He didn't want to find out how loud we would have gotten had we, uh, how do I put this, uh, had sex." He finished meekly, slightly blushing. He saw Astrid blush as well.

"Oh, okay then if that was all." She said quietly before yawning. "I'm tired. Let's get some sleep." Hiccup silently agreed, he was tired too. She laid back in the sand and closed her eyes. After a moment she turned on her side too use her hands as a makeshift pillow. Hiccup laid next to her, wrapped his arms around her midsection, and brought her in close. He heard her sigh in contentment, he had one last thought before they drifted off to sleep.

"I take it you accepted my proposal?" he said in a slightly mocking tone. He felt her silently laugh against him.

"Yes Hiccup. Now go to sleep. I don't want Toothless splashing us again." He kissed the back of her head in reply. He waited for the rhythmic breathing that signaled she was asleep before drifting off himself.

* * *

**If you enjoyed the story please review. The reviews will determine if i continue or not.**


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